Rockets Return Home, Host Rising Thunder
Tall Task. Best Present. Nine Lives.
The Rockets finally return home to the friendly confines of Toyota Center, after another unsuccessful week on the road. Houston went 0-3 on their three-game road trip, remaining winless on the road for the season. Regardless, the Rockets have been on a roll at home to start the season, winning their last eight games in a row at Toyota Center. The squad aims for their ninth straight win at home, but it won’t be easy as the Oklahoma City Thunder rumble into town. It’s truly a tall task for this young Houston team. OKC is one of the rising, talented teams in the NBA, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic to name a few. The Thunder currently boast a 13-6 record, good for second place in the cutthroat Western Conference. OKC has the Rookie-of-the-Year so far in Chet Holmgren, who is off to a better start than anyone expected. He got injured in the preseason last year, but he didn’t play any regular season games last season, so this is technically his rookie season. And he’s even outplaying San Antonio’s super-hyped phenom, Victor Wembanyama. Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and others will need to help defensively to slow down the rookie sensation. Unfortunately, Holmgren’s not even close to the biggest challenge the Rockets will face tonight.
In his sixth season, SGA, in my opinion, is the best perimeter player in the world, and the frontrunner for MVP at this present moment. Not LeBron, not Kevin Durant, not Giannis… this guy: Gilgeous-Alexander had a breakout season in first All-Star campaign last year, but he’s even better this season, despite Holmgren taking up some of his offensive touches. SGA averages 30 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and more than two steals per night. He is a nightmare on both ends of the floor, but it’s the offensive end where he’s become unstoppable. OKC’s emreging superstar can beat anyone off the dribble, and he has arguably the best mid-range jumper in the league. He’s also no joke from beyond the arc. SGA is a threat as a facilitator as well, as his dynamic offsensive skills have made his teammates, and the Thunder, one of the surprise teams in this early season. The Rockets need to aim to hold him to 25 points or under and they have a chance to pull off the upset. If SGA starts cooking, it could spell big trouble for a Houston team desperately trying to climb back up to .500 in the standings. Dillon Brooks will be the obvious defender to start on SGA. As stellar as Brooks is defensively, it’s going to take a team effort on that end to stop the best player in the world tonight. Besides Holmgren and SGA, OKC has Jalen Williams, who is having a breakout sophomore year, and Josh Giddey, who is still playing despite allegations of him having an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl. Regardless, Giddey is arguably their third best player, who can breakout for 30 points on any given night if not guarded properly. The Rockets have a handful to deal with tonight, but they beat the defending champion Denver Nuggets twice at home. They’re very capable of beating this Thunder team.
Houston is searching for their ninth win of the season (and ninth straight at home) with a victory tonight. The Rockets have been fairly competitive in most of their losses. So even if the squad doesn’t come away victorious tonight, expect a much more competitive matchup compared to Houston’s previous two road games. This squad has all the tools to win their ninth game of the season on Wednesday night, in order to keep their home streak alive. However, they also have one of the toughest opponents they’ve faced yet on the other side of the court, as OKC has won eight of their last ten games, with some very impressive wins already on their resume. If the Rockets win tonight, they’re going to have to do it on the defensive end, return to rebounding with force, and win the hustle battles on the court. It’s easier said than done, but hopefully a return to Toyota Center will spark these Rockets to victory… as they’ve played fantastic this season so far in Houston
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
Oklahoma City Thunder (13-6): Blue
Houston Rockets (8-9): “City Edition” White
Tip-Off: 7:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass